Old Friends Anew 35

Phase-35: Carving Out a New World

The supercomputer inside of Messiah began to light up as power flowed to its circuits. A woman's voice echoed through the silicon halls, eerily similar to Abby's. "Destiny Plan systems beginning activation. Procedure One, identification genome database online. Hypersive server, link established."

All of the earth sphere was stunned and confused by the announcement. The confusion would be cleared up the moment all the computer systems were momentarily taken over by the Destiny Plan server, detailing the full points to the plan. All were riveted to their screens as the electronic Abby continued to explain. "Destiny Plan is the perfect solution and mankind's salvation. It consists of information Coordinators discovered during their experiments with genetic engineering, and can be utilized with the high level of technology we possess today. Each person holds a library of information within them. Personality, ability, preferences, even inherited diseases can be read by a simple drawing of blood. It's very important that we know about them first." A small caricature of Djibril talking down to Dullindal appeared on screen. "Currently, you may be poorly placed." Both were handed cards, Djibril was carted away, and Dullindal moved into his place, a decision that made amputated hands applaud. "Each ability is precious and hidden, possibly even to oneself, could be latent inside you. That is what mankind loses. Let us all examine ourselves and learn about all we are capable of. This is the large and beautiful step towards the perfect future for you."

"Hwaaah." Arthur stood amazed at the concept of it all. Luna furrowed her brow and took off from the lounge at top speed.

Ray and Shinn looked on from their quarters. "This is… what Gichou is?" Shinn was agape, like most of the rest of the world.

"I see no reason for you to be surprised." The blonde didn't move from his seat.

"Uh?"

"I think you already knew what Gichou was striving for, what kind of world."

"Unh… That's true. Even with that, just shoving this into the world's face won't change it. That's a huge problem!"

"Indeed…. But the Chairman isn't one to give it up so easily. That's something you should also know." Ray turned his chair to face his comrade. "He's just like us. The Chairman's goal is one to make the populace live happily, and make sure that war doesn't occur again. Our duty is to create and defend that world. The Destiny was created for that purpose after all, and you were the one who was meant to pilot it."

"Wha? Bu… huh?"

"The Chairman wanted you to pilot it because you wish for that world the most."

"Me?"

Luna rang the doorbell to Shinn's quarters. "Shinn, you in there? Shinn!"

Ray quickly slammed his finger on the comm. link. "We're currently in an important FAITH meeting. Leave us until later!"

"Ah? Ray! What the hell are you doing?" Shinn snapped at him. Luna gasped on the other side of the door.

The blonde ignored the question and got even more serious. "It's exactly as you say though, things are going to get hectic here on in."

"Ray…"

"Whenever a change is introduced in any time, opposition arises. If the change isn't advantageous for them, or maybe they don't even have a real reason, worried people will appear to oppose it. It's true what Gichou says; we have no way of knowing what our future holds."

"Unh…."

"But mankind has to change. Otherwise, no one will be saved." Ray's voice turned raspy. When he realized it he looked down at his hand which was resisting the urge to tremble.

"Well, you know I get that, but…!"

"Just like the Extended girl…." Ray threw out the one piece of bait Shinn would fall for the most, and the target took a deep breath. "We need to keep something like that from happening ever again. This must be done!" His fist clenched as it began to shudder. "You have to be strong, Shinn!"

"Eh?"

"You're the one that must protect the world that the Chairman will create." He got up on unsteady legs, stumbling towards his bed.

"Ray?"

"It's the final choice to keep the world from falling into confusion again." The blonde pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What's the matter with you Ray?"

"It doesn't matter! Ignore me!" The suffering child snapped. His hand shot out to his wall cabinet and pulled out a container filled with blue and white pills. He downed three of them without water quickly before he spread out and passed out on his bed.

"SHINN!" Stellar squeaked as the metallic ropes tightened their grip on his shoulders and neck.

"Ste…llar…. Help… me…." He forced out before he fainted.

"Shinn!" She ran towards him, ready to pounce on the strange cables. When she got close, they began to pull the unconscious boy away, forcing her to double her speed. "Shinn! Shinn!" As the rounded a dune, Impulse came into view, and the cables slammed him into the cockpit. "That thing…!" The eyes flashed a heinous shade of red and it took off straight up, the engine shockwave blowing her to the ground. "Shiiiiiiiinnnn!" The mobile suit disappeared from view, and she collapsed to the sand, sobbing. "Give him back. GIVE HIM BACK!"

"Do you want to save him?" A woman with long blonde hair appeared behind her.

Stellar turned around and hopped backwards a step. As she got the first good look at the woman, a sign of acknowledgement passed across her features. "Mother?"

"You remember me, I'm touched."

"Mother!" She went to the woman and tugged on her lab coat. "Where's Shinn? Give back Shinn!"

"Do you want to save him that badly?"

"Unh!"

"That mobile suit is dragging him into space. If you want to save him, you'll have to go after it and fight."

"Stellar must… go to space? To fight?"

"That's right."

"But, Stellar has nothing to…."

White Angel tapped the girl's nose. "Now, now. Would I really be your mother if I hadn't prepared something for you to use?"

"So… what are we going to do about this, Captain?" Arthur finally spoke up.

"Why are you asking me? You think I have any idea?" She shot back. "War is only a piece of politics. Just because you're in it doesn't mean you understand the whole thing. We'll have to keep an eye on the reactions of the crew and decide what to do after that. Everyone is probably feeling just the same as you are, Arthur."

"Hai!" He saluted back, his question satisfied enough.

Two black Longhorn Daggers floated above the moon's surface on their patrol around the communications satellite. Their existence was supposed to be unknown, as patrol movements would seem suspicious to the ZAFT forces. "This is Dark G1 calling Dark G2. You read?"

"This is Dark G2, I read loud and clear."

"I've got nothing on my scope here, you?"

"Same. No one comes up in polar orbit. Why'd we get stuck doing some lame shift like this?"

"We're still on duty you know, might want to refrain from personal comments."

"I know, I know, sorry. Hey how's your wife doing, she had her baby yet?"

"Honestly I don't know. For a communications station, the mail here is pretty sl…" A blip appeared on the screen. "Woah, heads up, we've got company!"

"Huh? Ok, now I'm getting it too. Matching radar shadow… what the hell? It's a METEOR!"

"A METEOR? That's a ZAFT weapon. Switch to radio relay mode, we'll throw our voices back from the station as we close in on him."

"Understood." The two Daggers tapped their maneuvering thrusters just enough to push them slowly forward.

"Attention unidentified mobile suit. This is the EAF polar communications outpost. Please stop your vessel and submit your IFF code immediately." A neutral code appeared on the readout within a few seconds. "Unidentified mobile suit, your IFF signal identifies you as neutral, yet you are confirmed riding a ZAFT weapons platform. Please open a channel, identify yourself, and explain your business in this sector."

A cut-and-shut mobile suit with a BaCOE head came into visual range as the Daggers came in close. "This is Alan Swaine of the Junk Guild. Please hold your fire, I intend no harm to your station." A familiar voice answered as the mobile suit slowed to a stop. "Recently a collision with an asteroid knocked a piece of wreckage that the Junk Guild has claimed into your sector. I am here to retrieve it. Please allow me passage through this region of space."

A laser transmission reached the two Daggers from the station. STALL HIM. Dark G1 answered Alan. "Mister Swaine, that's quite a request. What's your reason for riding a METEOR?"

"I need its extra thrust to tow the wreckage. If you scan it, you will see that all weapons systems on it have been deactivated."

The patrol captain did so, but in doing so, gave away his position to Alan. "We've confirmed that, Mr. Swaine." Another laser transmission. GET RID OF HIM, NOW. "Um, I'm sorry Mr. Swaine, I can't grant your request. We are at a time of high alert, and a civilian like yourself cannot be allowed in the space around a military installation."

"Excuse me? Station command, my credentials show a perfect record of cooperation with the EAF. I will transmit them over to…"

"Your credentials mean nothing in this situation. Save yourself the trouble and go home."

"I cannot do that! That wreckage has been officially claimed by the Junk Guild, and I possess every right to retrieve it."

The two Daggers locked onto him. "Sir, we have our weapons locked onto your vessel, if you attempt to venture any closer, it will be considered an act of aggression, and you will be destroyed."

"I have rights, damn it!"

"They've just been revoked!"

The three men floated in a standoff for a few moments, before Sheridan spoke again. "All right. All right, I get it." He sighed. "Look, I don't want any trouble with you guys, especially those two Daggers you have breathing down my neck."

Dark G2 gasped. "How did he…."

"I'm an honest man, and I make an honest living. Is it possible that I could at the very least take some tracking readings of the wreckage as it moves? I'll swing around and pick it up once it leaves your sector. Would that be sufficient?"

"How far would you need to be from it for you to take your readings?"

"4000 clicks."

"One moment please." The G1 commander waited for the text burst. PRIMARY ORDER: ESCORT THROUGH READINGS. CODE 4 ORDERS: ELIMINATE. "Mr. Swaine, we have debated your request and have agreed to your terms. However the two Daggers you have somehow been able to identify will be your escorts for your term in this sector. Please do your scans quickly and leave."

"Understood, thank you Station Control." Alan punched a few keys with one hand. "Attention Dagger pilots. I'm sending you my flight plan data. Take good care of me now, okay?" He turned on his engines to low and started on his sensor sweep.

Cagalli sighed at the report handed to her. "So only the Scandinavian Kingdom and ourselves oppose the plan openly?"

"Hai." One of the new Emirs answered her. "All the other countries are batting the idea back and forth, deciding what their response should be."

Another entered the conversation. "Since the Logos witch hunt, most major governments have fallen apart."

"I have a feeling that's just what he intended." The ORB princess continued. "But letting him have the world as his play toy won't do anymore. I believe King Uzumi once said, 'an invasion into the minds of the people' when he responded to the Alliance invasion two years ago. Even so this is worse! ORBs ideals will be defended with my hands! For us, that will protect everything."

"Hai."

Stellar zipped up her flight suit as White Angel held her helmet. "Now put on your helmet, dear." She handed the article to her.

The girl clicked it on and the visor shut automatically. "Uhh!" She gasped as she spread her arms wide.

Outside in the real world, all the computer screens came to life in the station came to life, moving of their own accord. "Colonel, something's happening out here! We've got responses coming in from all systems! All the computers are working simultaneously!"

Angel smiled at the report in both worlds. "You feel that, right Stellar? This suit is different from your others. How do you feel?"

"Stellar feels strange. Stellar can touch… but it's far… not there… but Stellar still touches…."

"That's right. You can touch every single thing in the world now, grasp it, bring it to you. Tell me, can you pull your new weapon's cockpit to us? Find it and bring it here."

"Unh." Stellar nodded and closed her eyes. Her arms reached out, and the world warped under their feet until it transformed into a platform with an open cockpit hatch in front of it.

"Beautiful! Such talent from my daughter!"

The Eternal activated a direct uplink to the Archangel. Waltfeld spoke to the crew. "As we foresaw, the world doesn't want to answer just yet."

"But it's a bit more than we thought, right?" Ramius answered him.

"That's probably because they don't really understand the consequences." Neo muttered. "I can understand why they're having a hard time figuring out if they should just skip over race and nationality and jump into genomes."

"Also, the Chairman is still withholding just how he's going to enforce this new world order." Adam paced with his hands behind him. "Doesn't anyone notice that other than us?"

"It's exactly what he wants. Everything sounds perfect, well thought out, a pure solution to a lifelong problem." The captain sighed. "No more confusion, no more war. A possibility of becoming happy."

"Add to that the fact that the Chairman is trusted extremely heavily." Kira put his two cents in.

"But it won't just end when everyone submits to it." Athrun looked at the bulkheads.

"Unh…" Everyone agreed.

"He said he was going to put it into action, but he never said how, so we should expect the worst." Waltfeld spoke up.

"Unh." Meyrin nodded.

Athrun turned to Milly. "How's ORB faring?"

"They've gone into full defensive mode. There's no doubt they'll reject the plan."

"That's good at least."

"Things will turn for the worse if PLANT tries to force conformation. At that point we'll have no choice but to fight."

"This really is the final decision, isn't it?" Meyrin asked solemnly.

"Ah. Avoiding the issue won't work. It's either yes or no, and the deck is stacked against no." Lacus answered her in a whisper. The conversation ended, as did Waltfeld's uplink.

Shinn held Ray's box of pills and stared between him and them. Ray stirred in his sleep. "Is this why you were so closed off, Ray?" He put the pills back and shut the cabinet. "What else don't I know about you?"

"'No choice but to fight' eh?" Kira stared forward, speaking flatly, after the viewscreen went dark.

"Kira?" Athrun was the first to probe him.

"Uh? Oh, I was just thinking that's probably what they're thinking too, that there's no other option left. As things are, fighting is the only option, and it's inevitable to do so. The Plan is disgusting, but ending it all with a battle is something I don't want either."

"Ah…."

"Even so…" Lacus finally added her point to the conversation. "That doesn't change the fact that we will be required to fight."

"Lux…" Kira answered her.

Adam sat down on the ladder to the CIC pit and leaned his elbows against his knees. "I don't think that's the end of the problem either."

"Eh? Adam, what are you talking about?" Meyrin put her hand on his shoulder.

"Even if we fight and win, will the world be able to accept it? If we're victorious, will the world swing over to our side just like that? The victor isn't labeled just if everyone is against them. They may end up hating us, hating ORB. A war against a hardened heart… can't be won."

"Adam-kun…." Captain Ramius stared at him.

"You may be right Adam, a hardened heart can't be won over," Lacus approached him and went down to look into his eyes. "But we as a race will never be truly hardened because of one thing."

"And what's that?"

"It's because we dream, we wish for a future. Such is the strength to live given to all living things. Even if you gain perfection, and your future was sealed to fate, then our existence would be doomed, because our dreams are who we are. Once we make people see that, then they will open to us once again."

"Lacus-san… you…."

The former pop star stood up. "Every life exists to obtain its future. It is ok to fight for it. It's ok to fight for life, to reach for a dream. That is why we must go into battle, for the sake of all who live, and for ourselves as well. We must defend our dreams from those who would take them. The Chairman's world points to the death of humanity, and we will show humanity that this is true."

"Unh." The pilots nodded.

"Now Stellar, get into the cockpit." White Angel calmly ordered the girl, and she obeyed.

Stellar sat in the chair and her controls slid into place around her. When she looked up, White Angel was gone. "Mother? Mother, where are you?"

A video monitor popped up. "I'm right here, Stellar." Angel was out in the real world looking into a video camera. "I'm in the control room."

"This machine… somehow… different. Stellar doesn't know how to make it move."

"You'll be fine Stellar, just think for a bit. Search your memory, you'll know how to work it."

Stellar closed her eyes momentarily and then they snapped open again. "Stellar knows! Somehow… I know!"

"Good Stellar, now activate the unit. We'll guide your launch from here."

"Unh." The cockpit shut and she flipped a few switches, extending her hands to touch keys farther away than her arms could reach.

A techie pulled up a monitor as two massive yellow eyes flashed into being. The entire room began to shake. "Ma'am. I think it's safe to say we have movement."

"Indeed we do. Everyone hold on to something, this is going to be fun! Ooh, I'm so excited I don't even need to kill anyone!"

"Station One will soon be in position." The renamed tunnel colony hovered over Requiem.

"Requiem control systems are functioning normally."

"Start the charging sequence." Dullindal ordered from Messiah. "Whatever the case, it'll need to be fired once to test it."

"Sir!" The man saluted before his screen turned off.

"But what will be the target, sir?" One of his men asked, curiously.

"Hmm. How are things looking with the other nations? Anything new?" He spoke to one of his aides.

"Nothing, I'm afraid. The only clear dissent is from ORB and the Kingdom of Scandinavia."

Dullindal pulled up the ORB broadcast onto his screen, where Cagalli spoke loudly to her people. "Thus, the nation of ORB opposes Chairman Dullindal's plan without waver!"

"It also appears as though to respond to this, there have been some suspicious movements at the Arzachel base. We've detected some launches periodically."

Dullindal pulled up the President's address, but put it on mute. "Hey now, hey now…." He chuckled at the man's reaction.

"Also of note is that the President of the Atlantic Federation has asked for an audience with you, Chairman."

"That so? I see now. Copeland is in a bind. He has to lead a nation even though he can't work as hard as the Princess. Logos isn't around to guide him anymore so he's chosen to act on both sides."

"So what is your reply to his request, sir?"

"Let him eat static for now. He won't move fully until we've met, so delay him as much as possible."

"Yes sir."

"That being said, I think the target is clear. We'll destroy ORB. Begin preparations."

"Understood." His aide saluted. "But that's a very bold move. It could trigger a reaction from Copeland."

"Our military should be able to handle it. Order the Gondwana and Minerva into position to defend with the rest of our forces."

"Yes sir."

"It's time I enforced what I said. This is the final defense, and mankind's fate is on the line. Oppose it, and you become mankind's enemy!"

Alan's screens suddenly lit up like a Christmas tree. "What the hell?" He started looking back and forth between his readouts. "Engine noise detected? Woah, what's all this mass movement? I've never seen an energy reading that big before! This is impossible!"

The two black Daggers nodded to each other and slowly pulled out their deactivated beam sabers.

Abby buzzed Talia in her quarters. "Captain."

"Yes?"

"We're receiving orders from HQ. The Alliance forces are starting to move at Arzachel."

"Eh?"

"The lunar defense fleet, as well as Minerva, should rendezvous at point 4286."

"Understood, I'm heading up there now."

A massive object began to rise out of the moon's crust. The dark purple UFO disk shook as the gray dust of the moon's surface began to roll off. Even when it seemed like the monstrous plate was finally free, it just continued to rise, unearthing more and more of its second layer.

As Alan gaped in awe at what was happening below him, the two Daggers activated their beam sabers.

Once the edge was finally free from the disk below, a burst of energy and engine power sent a shockwave rising up through space, blowing all three of the mobile suits head over heels. As he flipped over, Sherridan took note of the beam sabers in the men's hands. "Shit!" He kicked off from his ride and pulled out his heat shotel and gattling gun. "So this is what you were hiding? Is that some kind of weapon?" He put his engines to full throttle. "You bastards never learn!"

The Daggers' alarms went off the instant he charged. G1 hit his thrusters and rose away from him. G2 wasn't so fortunate, and Alan went on the attack, slicing him through the middle with his shotel. "Jerid!" The pilot of G1 cried. "Damn you!" He fired his overhead cannons upon the mobile suit below.

"I won't let you!" ShEZAMS flipped over and blocked with the shield and cartridge for the cannon. He raised the minigun above and fired. The Dagger blocked with its shield as they circled each other, closing in for close combat. Shotel met saber as they clashed in midair. "Is that it? Is that your Song of Silence?"

"Silence? This is our Hallelujah Chorus! This will be the glorious end to the war, Djibril's gift to us all!"

"You fool! Don't you remember what happened with GENESIS? With the nuclear bombings? You'll wipe the entire human race off the galactic map!"

"You're wrong! We'll wipe the Coordinators off the map!"

"Then I have no other choice…." Alan swung his mobile suit's leg up and made contact between the legs of the Dagger, while turning on the BaCOE beam sabers. The extra force drove the mobile suit straight into the beam's path, taking out the main camera. The time between switching over to the backup cameras was all Alan needed, he pushed off and whirled his shotel into the target.

"GYAAAAHHH!" The man was seared as the attack bit into the cockpit.

"Forgive me." He withdrew his weapon and put it back in place. After docking with the METEOR again, he targeted the machine below him.

During the fight, more of the massive creature extended from the pit, a dark purple body, covered in blackness by the shadow of the saucer above it. Two long, claw-like legs that could dig up small craters, all of it hovered over the surface of the moon, until it landed in a cloud of heavy dust.

Stellar turned on her viewscreen to see the world around her. "Mother! Stellar is in space again!"

"That's right darling, we're back in space. We won't be defeated here, and we can get back your precious Shinn too." White Angel smiled in her extensive excitement. "Now Stellar, I'm sending you some data." A small screen hovered in front of the blonde girl, outlining coordinates to PLANT colony Aprillius. "We've tracked down that mobile suit that took that boy. It's heading here."

"There? Then… where's Shinn?"

"That doesn't matter right now, Stellar. The point is, if you destroy where it's going to go, then the mobile suit will have to figure out where to go next, and give us more time to rescue him. Understand?"

"Unh."

"You have all the equipment you need to attack. Just reach out and touch it."

Alarms beeped around the woman. "Colonel! That Junk Guild mobile suit is still out there and scanning us!"

"Tch. Damn weakling pilots. Stellar, while you're powering up to attack the target, take out the mobile suit that's buzzing around! He's trying to stop you from getting Shinn back!"

"Stop Stellar?" The girl thought as she pulled up a view of ShEZAMS. "Unforgiveable!"

Alan's jaw dropped at the sight as the giant landed on the moon's surface. He quickly took a scan of its statistics. "Ten times the size of a normal mobile suit…. Over 20 multiphasic beam cannons on the saucer rim? Phase Shift armor? Six LOHENGRINS? That's no mobile armor, it's a federation monster! And this radar shadow, on a smaller scale it would look just like Destroy in its mobile armor state!" The gigantic weapon kneeled forward tilting the saucer, and at the center of it, a cap began to unscrew. "A new energy reading? Wait, I know that signature…." He paled when he realized what it was. "Requiem!"

His resolve was strengthened and he drove his mobile suit closer to the intimidating giant. Partially hidden in alcoves under the saucer, two objects dropped down and flew off. Alan pulled up the hovering objects on screen. They looked like two large white squids that were closed up. The mobile suit found a match in its data bank. "Now I see. It's all coming together. That extra package the kid saw when that EAF battleship took off went to here."

Ray, now finally awake, was sitting limply in his chair, while Shinn paced pissed. "Just like we thought. The Alliance is going to pick a fight!"

"Ah. That's what it looks like." After Ray spoke there was a long pause. He looked Shinn's way, who quickly broke his gaze. "I apologize for that incident earlier. It wasn't anything you needed to worry about. I scared you with that. I was in the wrong."

"Uh?"

"I suppose you could call it a chronic illness. Don't worry, it's not contagious."

"No… well… I mean…."

Ray had enough of the conversation, and changed it quickly. "You should concentrate on remembering what I said earlier. No matter what happens, no matter who says what, trust in Gichou."

"Hwa?"

"The world is about to change, because we're the ones to change it. But in times like this, there will be moments that you'll have to choose differently then you have in past events. At times you'll want to run away when you're confused, but… trust the Chairman and you'll be fine."

"Ray…" Shinn was sort of stunned by the comments, and the knowledge his counterpart held. The mentioned teen just smiled.

"After all, he is right."

"Yeah, well…" Shinn stood up. "What's up with you saying all this stuff all of a sudden? You sound like an old geezer in some bad J-Drama. Cut it out, it's creepy."

"Heh. Let's just say that I don't have much of a future left. My telomeres… were naturally short. After all… I am a clone."

"HUH?"

Alan stared down the monster he hovered next to, his mobile suit completely dwarfed by this newest version of Destroy. "I've got to act fast. If that energy buildup is a Requiem, then everyone is in mortal danger." ShEZAMS pulled out and locked together the electromagnetic cannon that the Lightning Striker came equipped with and gunned the engines. After lining up a shot into the Requiem barrel, he fired as he made a pass.

"Puny…" Stellar whispered to herself as the two squid-like protrusions exploded into three parts and spread into a circular formation. Each piece stretched wide into three panels, space rippling around them. The energy broke into pieces and curved out and away from the demon.

"What?" Alan flipped around quickly and fired another shot, it was also blocked by the six spinning pods. The next move was Stellar's. Three of the mobile deflectors moved to the edge of the saucer section and the pink and blue energy cannons loosed their energy directly into them. The power curved into a trajectory charted directly into ShEZAMS. "Gah!" Meteor's engines gave him enough boost to roll and escape the blast. The other three deflectors shot behind him, intercepting the beams, and redirecting them once again. ShEZAMS rolled under the rebound, but not before getting his leg clipped by the intense heat. Alan panted heavily. "G…Geschmeidig Panzers… Forbidden's shield…." He backed off slightly. "This one's power is enormous. Mobile Panzer pods, all being controlled at once in synch, able to absorb and reflect that much power… it's practically impossible! No human could control something like this, Natural or Coordinator!"

White Angel laughed as she sat back in her chair. "Looks like our little fly is having trouble getting through a closed window. Now we just have to clip his wings down to the root."

The lunar fleet gathered together and prepared for battle with the Arzachel forces, while unbeknownst to all, the shield on the Requiem barrel disappeared from view. Dullindal nodded to his commander and he gave a visual signal. "Forgive me, Princess. I wish I didn't have to take the life of one so young." Requiem's particle generator started up. "Fire when ready."

Alan dodged another two volleys from the fortress as he peppered a Panzer pod with his minigun. The bullets just bounced off, the armor too thick to penetrate. "This is bad, very bad! If I don't stop that Requiem from firing, it's game over! With all this dodging I have to do, I can't even start up my main weapon." The red-head's face brightened after a start. "Wait a minute… main weapon… where's the closest Requiem barrel colony?" Alan typed into his keyboard.

"Requiem is at 90 percent charge, ma'am." One of the techs on board saluted White Angel.

"Right…." She turned to her monitors. "Stellar, sweetie, we're almost ready. Get into the final position and we can save your Shinn."

"Unh! Shinn…."

"It's too far away for it to be reached from here alone. So the Panzer pods must be needed to do the initial redirection!" The pods collected around the Requiem hole and began to orbit an unseen force as Alan furrowed his brow. "I've only got one shot at this!" He unhooked from METEOR and pulled out his Striker's cannon. While doing so the left side of METEOR slid backwards and to the right, so that the engines were overlapping each other. A hatch slid open on the side of the right-hand weapon, and the left-hand side slid forward, letting the engines connect and the muzzle of the cannon entering the hatch. The engines started spinning up as Alan went underneath the weapon and thrust forward.

"Commence firing sequence!"

"Charge at 90 percent and climbing. Critical mass in 30 seconds."

"Perhaps we can end it all with this one shot."

"20…19…18…17…." As the countdown decreased, White Angel's giddiness increased.

"Shinn…."

"This is gonna be close!" Alan flew at top speed towards the group of Panzer pods. He let fly the Striker's cannon, the overload timer just reaching zero as it hit the center of the group. It detonated, sending an EM pulse through the panzers, disabling the remote controls.

"15…14…13…"

"Commander! Stations Two and Three are beginning to move, something's taken over their guidance controls!"

"What? How is that possible? Regain control or we'll lose the targeting point!"

"I can't! We're locked out!"

ShEZAMS swung its massive weapon around and pointed it straight down Requiem's throat. The EAF's weapon glowed in preparation to fire. "P-METEOR Cannon! HASHA!" A gigantic burst of energy passed through the barrels of the weapons platform, sending a beam spiraling down into Requiem. Anyone watching the attack would not have been able to agree upon what color the beam was, the speed of the bolt actually managed to create a doplar shift, sending the colors to new dimensions of vividity.

"Abort! Cancel the firing sequence!"

"We can't! There'll be no place for the energy to go!" The beam lanced into space.

Dullindal stood up, wide eyed. "The target! Where's that beam headed?"

"A high energy object just formed on the opposite side of the Moon!" Burt reported to Gladys.

"Eh?"

"From Daedelus? This signature… it's Requiem!"

"Say that again?"

"That can't be!" Arthur jumped in.

"Yzak! What are they…?" Dearka heard the news same as his friend.

"The target! What's the target? Can you tell?" Talia demanded of Burt.

"I can't. It appears as though they're in motion, but possibly 4."

"Then it's heading to Earth?" Arthur spoke more than asked.

"Now it's deflected to 11!"

"It's going to hit Arzachel!" Talia denounced.

"EH? You mean our troops fired that shot?" The XO took a step back.

"Of course it is! We didn't leave any Alliance troops back there."

The beam took its last curve and rained down upon the launching fleet of EAF ships. They never stood a chance under the extreme power that disintegrated them as it cut its way through space towards the moon. The attack cut a swath in the ground, sweeping up the entire colony, catching Copeland in the explosion.

"Arzachel… destroyed… sir." Dullindal's aide reported what was on screen.

The man was wide eyed and his hand began to tremble as he pulled it into a fist. "What the hell was that? Find the source of that takeover and dispatch as many forces as you need to destroy it! Hurry!" He sat down and pounded his fist into the arm of the chair. "Damn it! There's no way ORB won't act because of this! Have all ships prepare for full battle status! Instead of killing the beast we killed the bird feeding off of it."

Luna slammed her finger onto Shinn's doorbell and spoke in an irritated and sarcastically respectable tone. "Excuse me gentlemen, may I be allowed to enter now?"

The door slid open and Shinn stepped out. "Luna… sorry about that." Ray just stared at the two as the door shut, as the girl debated whether or not to berate her boyfriend. Instead she just started walking, with Shinn in parallel. "I know it can't really be helped because of your FAITH status, but he was extremely rude all of a sudden!"

"Unh… I'm really sorry about that. He was occupied by a lot of stuff. We were discussing the Destiny Plan."

"That's why I came over in the first place. I wanted your input on it."

"Yeah, well, he was apparently a bit sick too and…."

"Shinn!" Vino ran out of the rec room at full speed. He caught his breath when he met them. "Arzachel's just been trashed!"

"Eh?" Both pilots said at once.

"It was Requiem that did it!"

"Wha? You gotta be kidding!" Shinn's jaw dropped.

"Why? Who would do that?" Luna pitched in with her surpise.

"Apparently there was some resistance movement in the base." Ray had walked up behind them, unheard. "The Roland team we sent down there finished them off."

"Resistance?" Vino scratched his head.

"Wait, you mean our military fixed that weapon?" Luna was as confused as the others.

Ray ignored her probing question and turned to his fellow FAITH member. "I said it before, Shinn. Even though it's a good cause, things will not go smooth for us." Then he addressed all three. "I'm sure you know what will be coming next. Archangel!" Luna gasped and Shinn flinched realizing he was right. "We have no choice this time. That ship must be destroyed permanently! Shinn, defend the world you've wanted all this time!"

"Murrue-san!" Kira and Athrun rushed into the bridge.

"Kira-kun!" The captain turned to him as they saw the view on the screen.

"Hey what's the commotion all about?" Adam and Meyrin entered from the next lift. "We were having a nice lunch when…."

"Agh!" Meyrin gasped as she saw the screen, and the giant ball of smoke emerging from Arzachel.

"Is that Requiem's work?" Athrun clenched his fist.

"I thought they destroyed it." Neo crossed his arms. "Shit, we've been had."

"Because of this, less than 10 percent of the Alliance fleet still remains." Ramius bit her lip.

"The destructive capability of that thing is almost as big as Genesis, but with a wider range. With those relay points, they can send the beam anywhere they want, including the Earth." Athrun hissed.

Lacus looked up after a long time in thought. "Captain, open a channel to ORB. We'll rendezvous with the Eternal. Please begin all launch preparations."

"Eh." She nodded.

"Lacus, are you sure?" Kira took a step forward.

"This is our only chance. The Chairman has shown the world that there is death for those who don't obey. As things stay, the world will end. We will attempt to gather as much support as possible now, while the impact is still fresh. Hiding is no longer an option."

"Ah, I know." Kira sighed, before he straightened. "Then in that case, we'll get the battle arrangements in now. Lacus, Athrun, and I will board the Eternal along with the DOM Troopers. She'll be our flagship and center of command. The Murasame squadron will be transferred to the Kusanagi, along with Amagi and Soga. The rest of you remain on the Archangel."

"Um…" Meyrin put her hand to her chest. "I wish to be transferred to the Eternal. Though I love this ship and its crew, I feel I would be able to do more there than here."

"Meyrin…." Adam paused.

"Understood." Lacus nodded. "The Eternal is a little shorthanded at the moment anyway."

"We'll relay that to the others straight away and then launch." Kira nodded. "Adam, meet me in the hangar later, and we'll do a tune up on your unit."

"Understood." Adam saluted.

"Please contact the Minerva." Dullindal ordered. "I want them to send Ray za Burrel and Shinn Asuka to Messiah. And make sure they bring their units as well."

"The engines are idling normally." Neumann said from his station. "Both the Condiuit and FCS are coming online. Power flow is nominal. Magnetic chamber and pellet dispenser are all within normal parameters. Shock damper now holding at 20 percent output. I've got main engine contact. Systems are all green. Archangel, all systems online. Launch checklist complete."

The Eternal unlocked from its moorings and went underway as well. Waltfeld broadcast a message. "The true star is arriving. Location code: Fragile. I repeat. The true star is arriving." Out of hiding in between asteroids, multiple loyal ZAFT ships joined Eternal in formation. Some EAF cruisers also fell into line on the starboard side.

Izumo-class ships rose from the moon colony, soon joined by ORB's flagship Kusanagi. "Archangel, hashin!" Ramius gave the final order, and the legged ship lifted off, emerging from the hatch to join its ORB compatriots.

The fused parts of Sheridan's METEOR sparked and crackled. "Well, that experiment was a fire and forget weapon." He sighed.

White Angel pushed herself up onto her console, blood dripping down the side of her face. "Whoever is still alive, report!"

One man groaned as he lifted his head from his station. "R…Requiem has been completely obliterated. What was that weapon?"

"Mother? Mother?" Stellar's audio called.

White Angel picked up an earpiece. "Stellar? Stellar I'm still here."

"Mother, where are you? Can you hear Stellar?"

"Damn it!" The blonde tossed the headset away.

"No, mother too? Mother did you… die?" Stellar shrieked at the word.

"Shit!" White Angel hissed, knowing it was too late.

"NOOOOOOO!" Stellar's head reared back as she screamed. Destroy MK II came alive again, standing up straight and tall, the Panzer pods re-established their link to her, and went wild. All of her beam cannons fired at once, sending red and blue attacks every which way.

"It's still operational after all that?" Alan pulled out his shotel. "Then I'll have to send you to hell, demon, from the inside!" ShEZAMS' engines went to full burn as he ducked under the saucer section.

Chapter 36 Preview: Fight for your dream. Defend for your future. If this is so, then what happens when the fighting is endless? As Sheridan plunges into the unknown, his backup arrives, but is it too late? Next time on Old Friends Anew: Ray and Fllay. Bring the true path to light, Justice!